Issue 106 - October 2015
OVERVIEW
Chuck Walior, Aldis Systems VP & Chief Engineer, attends NAB each year in search of creative, forward-looking solutions to wrap around and support the custom systems he designs for each integration project. He wasnt really looking for an alternative power source when he was introduced to Video Ghost at NAB 2015, but he was quickly won over and has yet to exhaust the list of situations where the little game-changer could save his customers money and time, plus provide an element of safety, consistency and significantly increase flexibility.
Although power is always a consideration when designing a facility, it takes a back seat to the sexy widgets and sophisticated solutions that nonetheless depend on it to perform properly and consistently.
Says Walior, Its one of those things thats always in the back of your mind, but youre never going to design a project around a power solution. If youre building a facility and/or need remote production capability, however, Video Ghost really solves the problem. It works great.
SOLUTION
Video Ghost provides a unique and cost-effective solution for remote power. Power is expensive to wire, especially if it needs to extend beyond the main plant. In Waliors experienced opinion, Its just a pain, its a hassle in a studio, and wherever you move a device you have to move its power with it.
Walior continues, Just the ability to make that expense and wire disappear with Video Ghost is really nice. Obviously youre limited by wattage, but there are so many devices that can run on it, including cameras and audio mixers. Now that we have demonstrated and tested it, and we know what it does and how it performs I think its going to find its way into many different designs. We immediately identified it as a solution for a few HD Video Production facilities we are currently working on for powering studio cameras and monitors, but in general it has the capability to change workflow and wiring requirements by allowing you to operate at different points in the facility that you couldnt easily do before.
Video Ghost, designed and manufactured by BHV Broadcast, is the video equivalent of phantom power for audio. It runs serial digital (SD/HD/3G) video and DC power in one standard coaxial cable removing the need for batteries or local AC power sources.
Winner of numerous industry awards for innovation and engineering excellence, Video Ghost can supply 65W of power at distances of 500ft (150m) and works equally well with cameras, monitors and other devices. The fit-and-forget system provides an innovative and unique way to get power to a monitor on a stage floor or in an arena roof, and eliminates the need for local mains power for monitors. Ghost also provides optional HDMI monitoring of SD/HD video feeds.
Video Ghosts functionality is also available as GhostRack, a rack-mount version that offers four channels of power over coax in a 1RU x 19 rack case with dual power supply options and front panel monitoring. GhostRack is ideal for OB vehicles to run power and video over standard coaxial cable for multi-camera and/or monitor channels.
Video Ghost is ideal for short-term or permanent applications including broadcast, entertainment venues, retail establishments and houses of worship, explains Julian Hiorns, BHV Broadcasts managing director and principal designer of Video Ghost.
Operational benefits include portability and rapid deployment (important features for mobile productions and difficult locations where monitoring is required) and the flexibility to send or receive video signals and DC power wherever and whenever the need arises.
Its Unique!
While Walior found numerous interesting aspects regarding Video Ghosts size, performance and capabilities, he was most impressed with the units ability to operate with any manufacturers brick. Although Video Ghost is shipped with its own 19v brick, Walior decided to experiment and substitute the brick from the original OEM device and inject it in the Video Ghost. The result? He found himself working with the exact amperage and the exact voltage that the manufacturer specified and was able to run power from the core plant all the way up to a remote location. He explains: I used it with some Grass Valley compact cameras. I took their bricks and injected those into the Video Ghost and it worked perfectly. It is completely compliant with any manufacturers specs, so Im delivering exactly what they want delivered.
LOOKING FORWARD
Walior looks forward to being creative with all the different places Video Ghost can fit and fix a problem. He says: I can put it on a shelf or in a rack, and its compact enough to actually mount on a smaller camera or monitor.
Its going to come more and more into play because we understand that it not only can solve one problem real easily, it can really fix a dozen. It is a unique little fix. Simple and reasonably priced. I dont know of anyone else doing this.
www.bhvbroadcast.com
www.aldissystems.com
